A Decision to Make
by Rachel Jameson
Summary: Savannah is a party girl and now must deal with the consequences. How will Lucy and Kevin react? rated t for some language. please R
1. Chapter 1

The Camden's had all been through so much the past years. With Eric's sudden death, and the loss of Lucy and Kevin's twins, none of them thought anything could get worse. After Ruthie's return from Scotland she and Peter got back together. It turned out that Aaron was Simons and not Martins, and the couple married soon after Sandy told Simon. Martin stayed a bachelor, and Matt and Sarah had two more children after their twins were born. Sam and David lived with Annie until they left for college.

Lucy and Kevin waited four years before having children after Lucy miscarried. They had a boy, Austin, and then another girl, Jenny, just weeks after Savannah's ninth birthday.

Savannah was for the most part, was a good kid. She made both her parents very happy. She was always babysitting her brother and sister, and her cousins. She was enjoying her life. They moved away from Glen Oak, and moved north towards Sandy and Simon.

When she was 15 everything that everyone thought about her couldn't be more wrong. Everyone thought her to be a good girl. She never did anything wrong, or so they thought. Her parents were oblivious to her actions, and only focused on Austin, 10, and Jenny, 6. Not even her cousins knew about her secret life, they were fooled by the face she put on, and she was surprised that only Aaron, was the only one who even had the slightest idea of what she did.

She partied. She partied a lot. She was a P-K and it was the only way she knew how to rebel against Lucy. Kevin and Lucy stilled believed that she was their innocent little girl, making straight 'A's and never skipping. The truth was, she was smarter than skipping school, and never did anything too crazy on school nights, knowing her parents would find out. She snuck out and she hooked up. She liked hooking up, and there were no strings attached, usually.

She knew the rules of hooking up at her own school. They were simple; if you don't use a condom, beware. You don't discuss hooking up with the people that you hook up with. You shouldn't hook up with people you know, unless you want to continue seeing them. And that's where she made her mistake. She hooked up with a long time friend. Unaware at the time it was him. She was too drunk. But it was the next morning when she realized it was.

Waking up next to him wasn't good. She had broken the rules, for her 'friends' and herself. She knew that none of her friends could no that it was him, unless he told them. She prayed that he didn't. It was against their rules. He didn't say anything, she didn't say anything. They pretended nothing happened between them, and that's how she liked it.

But it was different now. She waited in her own bathroom. She didn't know how long it had been. Had it been over two months? She sat on the toilet seat. Waiting. She looked down at her watch. 30 more seconds. She didn't tell her friends. She didn't even tell him.

"I'm just freaking out about nothing," she said to herself.

15 more seconds. She did the math in her head again. Trying to think if it would be him. Or maybe it would be the guy from the week before. She wasn't quite sure.

It's time.

She looked down. And every emotion that she had was compressed to fear. It couldn't be true. She was only 15. Things like this didn't happen to 15 year olds.

"Savannah! You here?" Lucy called from down stairs.

"Yeah, mom. I'm in the bathroom, I'll be right down." She opened the door a little. "Shit shit shit! What am I going to do?"

"Did you say something honey?" Lucy asked again.

"No mom, I'm coming," she said, throwing the test in the trash. "It's just a false positive," she said to herself.

Walking down the stairs, she tried to wipe all the look of guilt and fear off her face. She tried taking herself to her 'happy place.' She was doing everything she could to take her mind off of it.

"Yeah, mom?" she asked walking into the kitchen.

"Well, I was thinking that we could talk," Lucy said.

"Um, okay, about what?"

"Well, I was thinking, you're fifteen now. And I think it's time we talked about sex" Savannah jumped at the sentence.

"Okay…" she said as calmly as she could, "we can talk about that."

"Well, I just think that you need to wait. Like I did. I didn't wear white just because it was tradition. I want it to all be special for you,"

"But mom…" Savannah was not sure why she said it, maybe it was just to get her to stop.

"I know, you're fifteen, and things like sex are all around you. I know you haven't had a boyfriend since Jerry-what's-his-face. I just want you think before you do anything like that. Did I ever tell you about Mary's old boyfriend Wilson?"

"Um… the guy who had a baby when he was like, 16?"

"Yeah. I just want you to remember that there are consequences. He lost his wife during childbirth. And he raised that baby on his own until he was 25, and he finally settled down. Remember that babies come from sex…"

"You're tellin' me," she said softly.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing. Well, I've got loads of homework. I'm just going to go do that."

"Okay, well, dinner will be ready soon," Lucy said with a smile.

Savannah ran upstairs and into her room, where she cried into her pillow. _How could she just lie to her mom like that?_ She didn't say a word. _Maybe she would understand. She seemed understanding of that Wilson guy. He was my age. I'm only fifteen. I can't have a baby!_

Kevin walked into his house to see Lucy cooking. He put down Jenny and kissed his wife hello.

"Did you talk to her?" he asked Lucy.

"Yes. And she seemed very interested. I told her sex was special and she should wait. I told her about Wilson, and hopefully that'll scare her until she's 20."

"She's smart, I don't think she's doing anything like that. She doesn't even have a boyfriend," Kevin said. "She's our perfect teenager, we should be grateful that she's as open as she is with us."

"I know. Savannah! Austin! Jenny! Dinner's ready!" she called to her children.

"I don't think the whole neighborhood heard you," Kevin said with a smile.

Austin and Jenny were down to the table just a moment after Lucy called them down.

"Where's Savannah?" Kevin asked the children.

They both shrugged and shook their heads.

"Savannah!" Kevin called.

Savannah wiped her face and walked out the door. She had only known for a day, and she already didn't know how she was going to tell her parents.

"Hey dad," she said, giving him a kiss.

"Were where you?" he asked.

"Oh, just doing my homework," she lied.

Dinner was painful. She sat there silently, listening to her parent's and siblings talk. She couldn't say anything. She knew if she opened her mouth that everything would come out. Everything. The fact that she had been hooking up for months, and now she might be pregnant. Even worse, she wasn't quite sure who the father was. She thought it was Tim, and prayed that it was. She didn't even know most of the other guys that she hooked up with. They might pass each other in the hallway and then they'd smile at each other, but nothing more than that at school.

"Savannah, you've been awfully quite, any thing on your mind?" Lucy asked.

"No, just lot's of homework. We've got this huge book report due tomorrow," she said, "I think I'm just going to go work on that. I'm not that hungry anyway…" she said, already having the homework done.

"Okay, well, just let me know if you get hungry," Lucy said as Savannah left.

Savannah quickly got on the Internet, searching for her friends, Tim, anyone that she could talk to. Tim needed to know. She heard her family continuing to converse, then going their own ways for the rest of the night. After an hour or so, she heard Kevin calling Lucy, he sounded excited. And the Savannah remembered that she left her pregnancy test in the bathroom trash.

"You're pregnant?" Kevin said with excitement.

"What…?" Lucy asked confusingly.

"I can't believe we're pregnant again!"

"Kevin, wait…" Lucy protested.

"We've got to call Mom and Ben, and everyone!"

"Kevin," she said, taking him by the hand, "I'm not pregnant. What makes you think I am?"

"I found your _positive_ pregnancy test in the trash," he offered.

"That's not mine…" she said, realizing who the test belonged to.

"You don't think it's…?"

"Savannah!" Lucy screamed.

Savannah was jerked out of her daze when she heard Lucy. She knew what it meant. And she was afraid of what might happen. She decided that she would act like she didn't know what they were talking about. That would be the best thing to do.

"Coming," she said back, cleaning her face. She walked into her parent's room, where she saw Kevin holding the pregnancy test. "Did you need something?" she asked nonchalantly.

Kevin held out the test to her, expecting an answer. "Mom, you're pregnant! That's great!" she said, trying to play dumb.

"It's not your mother's Savannah," Kevin said, "that means it can only be one other person's."

"Savannah, do you need to tell us something that has to do with that?" Lucy asked her daughter.

"I'm pregnant," she said before running out of the room and into her own.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thanks to those who reviewed! Just as a note, I'm gonna write this chapter in first person. I don't know if I'll continue to do it though, let me know what y'all think!

"_What?_" Lucy asked running into my room

"You're what!?" dad said following behind her.

"I'm pregnant…" I said again, tears rolling down my face.

"How did this happen?!" mom screamed. "Who did this to you?"

"I" I started.

"You must have been raped, that's why you didn't tell us," dad said, jumping from one thing to another. "Are you on drugs? How could I've not seen it?"

"I'm not on drugs," I said calming myself down, "and I wasn't raped."

"Then who, who, Savannah did this to you?" mom asked.

"Tim," I said, not telling them that it was possible to be a number of guys.

"_Tim?_" dad asked, "_Tim_?!"

"Yeah…" I said softly.

"How… Why… _When_ did this happen?" mom asked.

"I'm…not sure…"

"You're not sure? How don't you know?!"

"I" I started, I didn't know how to tell them.

"I can't even… I don't even… I can't look at you" dad said, storming out of the room.

Mom and I stood at opposite corners, sobbing. I knew mom couldn't believe that this was happening, and I wanted to disappear. I knew what she was thinking, _Savannah had always been a good girl_. _She never does anything wrong. How did this happen? Where did we go wrong?_

Neither of us could speak between their sobs. Even if we could, what would we say? _I'm sorry I got pregnant, it was an accident?_ What could mom say to her pregnant 15-year-old daughter?

Mom stared at me, I stood there in my pajama pants and _just say no_ sleeping shirt, my face was blotched from crying.

"Tomorrow you'll go to a doctor," mom said, storming out of the room.

A doctor? What does that mean, 'a doctor'? Is she going to take me to an abortion clinic? No. She would never do that. She'd rather me give it up for adoption. Wait… what do I want? I don't know if I can even have this baby. Let alone have it then put it up for adoption.

I heard mom and dad yelling back between each other. I couldn't tell exactly what they were saying, and I couldn't tell you. I'm sure they were saying something about how irresponsible I was, or that I'm protecting someone who forced me into having sex. They would never understand that I had sex of my own free will, and that at the time, I enjoyed it.

I don't even know how the partying started. I remember the first party I went to, about 6 months ago.

Hilary, my best friend, was a closet party-er since 9th grade. I couldn't figure it out, but she was. I remember that she finally invited me to one of the parties, and I was unsure about going. I'd never been to anything besides a birthday party in my entire life. My family's conservative and aunt Mary was the only one known for her partying.

Hilary helped me make up a lie to tell my parents, we'd be staying at Katie's, our other friend, house and probably wouldn't be back until late in the afternoon. My mom let me go, but not without a fight. She didn't want me following in Mary's footsteps, not that she was as bad as everyone thought she was.

She finally agreed, and I was ready to experiment with drinking.

The first party, Hilary had to watch me the entire night. She was the "responsible drunk." I made-out with complete strangers, and I loved it. I felt free. I had escaped from my parents and they couldn't stop me from doing whatever I wanted.

It was about a month after the party that I started hooking up. Hilary had left me alone, she went with some guy that she had never meet before, I stayed with another guy, a senior I think, maybe he was a junior…

Anyway, things were getting hot and heavy between us, and he knew of an empty room. We went up there. I lost my virginity in a room that I had never been in, with a guy I hardly knew. I wasn't proud of it, but I didn't care. I was drunk.

From what I can really remember from the first time, it really wasn't that enjoyable. Probably because I didn't even know the guy, all I did know is that his name was Jake.

After that, hooking up did become more fun. I didn't allow myself to become as drunk as I was the first time. Sometimes, I wasn't drunk at all that's the only time I really enjoyed it.

We learned about sex in school, and how to protect ourselves, but I don't think any of us were associating babies with sex. Well, this was a wake-up call. None of the other girls from the parties ever had anything like this happen to them, I think. Even if something did, we didn't talk about it, ever.

I can hear mom crying in the other room now; dad's not saying anything that I can hear. I don't even know how I'm going to explain any of this to them.


	3. Chapter 3

The next two weeks was a blur. Neither mom nor dad would talk to me. If I tried talking to them, they would nod, and continue talking to each other or Austin or Jenny. The first words she said to me after finding out that I was pregnant were "I made an appointment," before turning around and walking away.

"Wait," I said to her, she stopped where she was.

"What?"

"Mom, I'm really sorry, I never meant for this to happen."

"I just don't understand, how everything we've told you, everything that you've learned in church and at school how this could happen. You've always been so responsible. You're 15 years old. You used to tell me everything. Now, I feel like I don't even know you anymore."

"Mom, I'm still the same. I mean… _now_ I'm different. But this didn't just happen overnight. I've been going through this for six months, but you were paying so much attention to Austin and Jenny."

"Savannah, you know that's not true. You're father and I pay equal attention to all you kids."

"Who is my best friend then?" I asked even though I knew she knew the answer.

"Sarah," she said all knowingly

"Who's my favorite band?"

"dc Talk?"

"Not since I was 8. It's Green Day and Good Charlotte. You don't know anything about me. I know you don't want to hear this, but it's true."

We both stood in the hallway. Eventually she started crying. I felt so bad. Why did I have to make her feel so bad? It was my own choice to stop talking to her. It's not like she stopped asking. I was the one who shut down whenever she came by.

"Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it," I said trying to console her. "I know that you don't pay anymore attention to Austin or Jenny. And I'm sorry for every thing that happened."

"I know you are. But this isn't something I ever wanted to you. This is why your father and I wanted you to wait. You never know when something like this could happen. I want you to be open with us, okay, I don't want you to feel like you have to hide anything."

I felt so ashamed, she had no idea that I wasn't even sure who the father of the baby was. I mean, it could be Tim, but I wasn't even sure how pregnant I was. It would be fine if it was Tim; at least we're friends. At least we know more about each other than I know about any of those guys that I hooked up with.

The more I thought about it, the more I hoped and prayed it was him. He was the only one I would trust with this anyway, I'm going to tell him.

"Listen, Savannah," mom said; "I made an appointment for you, tomorrow at 4. I'll be here to take you. I know you probably don't want me to go, but I want to."

"Mom…"

"Have you told Tim yet? Do you want me to tell him? We'll sit him and his mother down, and the three of us can tell him."

"The three of us?" I asked.

"You, me, and your father," she said.

"I thought dad hated me," I said softly.

"He doesn't hate you, Savannah, you're his little girl. He's confused by all this. He doesn't know what to think of it. We both love you, and we'll support whatever decision you make."

"I know that,"

"Have you thought about your choices? Whether you want to keep it or put it up for adoption?"

"No," I said quietly. It was true; I hadn't given it any thought. I needed to talk Tim. I didn't know if I was ready to raise a baby, even with the help of my parents. But I don't know if I could just carry a baby for that long and then just give it up to strangers.

"You have time to decide," she said. "And your father and I, we can help. We could even raise it as our own, nobody would have to know."

"I don't know if I could do that…_if _I decide to keep it and raise it, I would want it to know that I'm it's mother, not just the overly protective older sister. And besides, no one here would buy that. I'd have to stay in the house all the time."

"Let's just wait, okay? No pressure."

"Alright," I said.

"Remember, tomorrow at 4, you have an appointment, maybe it will clear something's up."

"Okay."

We went our separate ways, me to my room and she to hers. We had an actual conversation, no yelling, no screaming. And now she's saying that they'll support me? I couldn't even tell you what they wanted. Maybe for me to just give it up, and then we can all just forget about it. Or maybe keep it, and let mom and dad raise it to be their own. I don't think I could do that to myself.


	4. Authors Note

okay, this isn't a chapter, it's just a quick author's note. at the moment, i'm stuck, i have started writing a chapter, and i'm going to try and finish it in the next couple of days. it should be up by the first.

thanks to all my reviewers!


	5. Chapter 4

Dad still refused to talk to me. Not that I was surprised at all. I couldn't even believe mom was talking to me. I don't think either of them have told Austin or Jenny yet. How do you even explain to your two young children that their older sister, who happens to only be 15, is going to have a baby?

I told Hilary that I was pregnant the day after I found out. I wasn't going to take any chances of her finding out from her mother or any rumors around school.

"What are you gonna do?" she asked.

"I don't know," I said softly.

"Well, I mean, do your parents know yet?" I nodded my head, "well, what about _him_?"

"Him? _Him?_ I'm not even sure who he is"

"What do you mean Sav?"

"You know what I mean. I don't know how many months I am yet. We've been partying for weeks; we've been hooking up even longer. My parents already know, and they're not that mad, but they're _disappointed._ And I already told them that it's Tim. You wouldn't believe how mad my dad was about that."

"Why did you tell them it was Tim?" Hilary asked.

"I don't know. I panicked. My dad was convinced I was raped, or on drugs or something, so, I just said the first possibility. I mean, it is possible, I know I'm at least two months, but it could be longer."

"Well, I mean, what about an abortion?" I glared at her, "okay, maybe not. But I mean, come on Sav, think about it. You'll be sixteen when it's born, do you really think you could really handle it?"

"I don't know! God, why did I let you talk me into going to those parties!" I said, and quickly regretted it.

"Excuse me? I didn't force you to go to any of those parties! You went to each and every one of them willingly. I didn't make you hook up with any of those guys, that was all you!" Hilary yelled at me.

"You pressured me!"

"Oh, and you have to do everything that I do! Maybe you should start thinking for yourself! No wonder you've got yourself pregnant! You always have to be the center of attention, you'll do anything!"

"What?! That's not true!"

"Oh, come on Savannah, who are you trying to kid? I think that secretly, you wanted this to happen."

"What?!"

"It's the only way to be back in the limelight. Let's face it, your parents never pay any attention to you, and if it wasn't for me, no one in this entire school would even know you exist. The would see you and say, 'oh, it's the preacher's kid.' Admit it Savannah, without me you're nothing. But now, at least you'll get noticed. Maybe not for what you want to be noticed for, but it's something isn't it?"

"II can't believe you," I said before walking away.

I walked home by myself, and Hilary and I haven't spoke since. It's been two weeks. Mom just started talking to me, and dad can barely look at me. And today, we're going to my appointment, to see how far along I am. I just hope Tim's the father. Well, kind of. If it's Tim then I can have some kind of support, but I think our parents would force us to get married.

And if it's not, I can tell them that I don't want to tell them, when it's really that I'm not sure who it is. I'll never tell them I don't know. I don't think that they could handle it. I don't think anyone in my family would even want to know.

"Savannah!" mom called from down stairs, "let's go!"

"Okay, I'm coming."

"Kevin?" she called.

"Yeah, Luce?"

"I'm taking Savannah, we'll be back later." She waited for a minute for him to answer, he never did.

She sighed loudly, and opened the front door, "let's go."

The car was completely silent on the way to the doctors, I sat there, wanting to cry, but knowing I shouldn't. We pulled into an unfamiliar parking lot. This wasn't the same doctor's office that we'd been going to since before I can remember. I shot mom a confused look.

"What?" she asked.

"Where are we?" I said.

"We're at the doctors," she said.

"I thought we were going to our doctor?"

"No, honey. She isn't an OB-GYN. This one is. Don't worry, this is the one I go to."

"Oh," I said, still a little confused, "okay."

We walked in to light rock music playing, and many women sitting and reading magazines. I looked at them. Some of them looked like they were mom's age, if not older. Others looked like they were just a few years older than me.

Mom checked me in, and I just stood there, not knowing what to do with myself. I was desperately trying not to make eye contact with any of the women in there. For the first time, I felt ashamed. I have been mad at myself, cursed myself, but never ashamed. And now, all these women, the receptionist, I knew exactly what they were all thinking. _Another girl got herself in trouble. She shouldn't be sleeping around. Do they not teach anything about sex in school?_ The sad thing was, for the most part, they were right.

"Savannah Kenkirk?" a nurse called, pulling me out of my daze. Mom and I both stood up, I walked towards the nurse. "Savannah?" she asked the two of us.

"That's me," I said softly.

"You're her mother?" she asked mom. She nodded her head, and gave me a confused look. "Right this way," indicating us to follow her.

We followed her into a semi-small room, which had maternity posters and such on the walls. She told us to wait for the doctor and with that, she left. Mom and I both sat there in an awkward silence, hoping that the doctor, who ever it was would just come in.

"Hello!" a woman said walking in. "Lucy, it's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too. Jane, this is my daughter Savannah, Savannah, this is Dr. Thomas."

"It's nice to meet you Savannah."

"Yeah, same here."

"Alright, if you just lay down on that bed there, and lift up you're shirt, we can see how you're doing so far."

"Okay," I said lying down.

"Looks like you're doing good so far, and you're at about eleven weeks," _shit_ I muttered to myself, "and would you like to know the sex?"

"Um… I guess," I shot a glance to mom for approval.

"It's okay," she said softly.

"Okay… you are having a…" I held my breath, this made it real, "…a girl."

AN: okay, I'm really sorry about not updating. I just got back to university, and I've been writing through a block, and the Internet has been down the past couple of days. I'll try to have updated again by Sunday.

Okay, sorry about my little goof up, and thanks to those who brought it to my attention.


	6. Chapter 5

I woke up on the examination table. I must've dosed off while we were waiting for the doctor to come in. I couldn't've been asleep that long.

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked mom.

"Oh, I didn't realize that you had… maybe 5 minutes?" she said looking up from her magazine.

"Dr. Thomas hasn't already been in here?" I asked confusedly.

"No, sweetie, do you honestly think I would let someone come in and exam you while you were asleep?" She said standing up and walking to me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah… it was just…" she shot me a concerned look, "nothing, forget it, just one of those dreams that you don't realize is a dream until after you wake up."

The woman I assumed was Dr. Thomas walked in the room. She looked way too cheerful. More cheerful than a person should be. Especially with me and my "condition."

"Hello!" she said with a smile from ear to ear.

"Dana," mom said, "it's so good to see you!"

"Oh, Lucy, it's good to see you too! I hear you're here for an ultra-sound. You and Kevin expecting again?"

"No, actually, it's for my daughter, you remember Savannah?" She said indicating me on the table.

"Oh, well, I haven't seen you in quite awhile, how are you?" she said politely, but it seemed to have rudeness behind it.

"I'm okay…" I said, then whispered, "considering…"

"Okay, well, just lift up you're shirt and we can look and see how far along you are. Do you have any idea how many weeks you are?"

I blushed, and shot a look at my mother. I didn't want her to know that I really didn't have much of an idea of how far along I was. For all she knew, I was 6 or 7 weeks. But I knew I was much more than that.

"Would you like your mom to wait outside for a minute?" she said, after seeing the fear in my face.

"Actually…" I said looking at her.

"But… Savannah…you're… she's only 15…" she looked to Dr. Thomas.

"I know, Lucy, but it might make her more comfortable…" she offered.

"Please, mom, just for a minute, I'll make sure you come in before she finishes." Her face burned with anger. I knew she didn't want to miss this, mainly because she wanted to know every little thing she could about the pregnancy.

"FINE." She said before leaving.

"It's okay, Savannah, she was making me feel a little uncomfortable too, so do you know how many weeks you are?"

"I… well… I'm not sure, I know I'm at least 9… but I could be more. You have to understand…"

"Savannah, you don't have to explain anything to me," she said with a soft smile.

"There's doctor-patient confidentiality, right?" she nodded, "I want you to know, that for the past 5 months, I haven't done much to be proud of. And neither of my parents know about it. They had never even considered the idea of me being 'active,' I just don't want anyone to think I'm a slut. I'm not."

"Savannah, I'm not here to judge you. And I won't tell your mother anything that she doesn't need to know, okay? You said you think you're around 9 weeks or so?" I nodded, "okay, let's just see then."

I lifted up my shirt and she put some jelly that was really cold on my stomach. Suddenly, I heard a rapid _thump thump thump_, and my heart stopped. This was the first time it actually felt real. I couldn't really see anything. I didn't know what I was looking for anyway.

"Okay, well, judging by how big the fetus is, and what has started to develop, it looks like you're about 11 weeks give or take a few days. It's too early to determine the sex, but so far, everything looks like it's developing beautifully."

I was so overwhelmed. I could actually see the baby on the monitor, and then I started to cry.

"Would you like me to call your mom back in?" she said, I nodded, and wiped the tears away. "Lucy? We're ready for you now."

She came back in, and stopped when she saw the monitor. It seemed like it was the same for her too, the second she saw it there was no denying that it was real, and her fifteen-year-old daughter was carrying her first grandchild.

"As I already told Savannah, she's about 10 weeks, so I can't determine the sex yet," mom nodded, "so it looks like she'll be due around November 3, maybe a little earlier, we'll be able to see in the next couple of weeks"

I just let it all sink in. She showed us the head and the legs and arms. She continued to talk about prenatal care. Emphasizing that I try and stay as active as possible, and make sure to take pre-natal vitamins, too stop hanging out with anyone who smokes, ect.

"Now, Savannah, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a quick with your mother"

"Oh, yeah…" I said, sitting up, "is there anyway, I can actually get a picture of that?" she nodded, and after a moment, a tiny picture was printed out.

"Here you go"

"Thanks,"

"Now, you're mom will be right out."

I left them to talk. I was afraid of what she might say to her. Tell her what I told her in confidence. I didn't want my mom to know all that. At least, not now. She already worries too much. If she knew what was really going on, she wouldn't let me leave the house till I was thirty. I was becoming my Aunt Ruthie, I was eavesdropping.

"I think Savannah has some issues considering this pregnancy and you and Kevin. She expressed so much guilt when you left the room. Wanting me to understand."

"What did she tell you?" mom asked.

"I'm sorry, doctor-patient confidentially, but I think she needs to talk a professional, or someone who understands what she's going through." Mom must've tried to interject, "no, it can't be you, and it can't be Kevin… how is he taking this news?"

"He's not speaking to her. He believes that she's covering up for someone. For the baby's father…."

"Both of you must understand, there is something about the father that bugs her. I don't think she's trying to protect him though. Your sister… Mary? Or is it Ruthie? She's a psychologist?"

"Ruthie"

"I believe that you should have Savannah have some sessions with her. But it must be the same, you can't ask her tell you what Savannah tells her, just like someone you don't know."

"Do you think there is something about this that Savannah doesn't want us to know?"

"I think, she has a lot of guilt. And she needs to speak with someone and let it all out. If she doesn't, it could have terrible consequences."

"Okay, I'll talk to Ruthie about seeing Savannah. We'll see you in a couple of weeks?" I took this as my cue to head to the waiting room.

Just a moment after I sat down, mom came through the doors, shot me an awkward smile, and set me another appointment.

I thought about what Dr. Thomas had said. Maybe she was right, maybe I did need to talk to someone about the past months. Ruthie's so close to my age, it wouldn't be like talking to a mother, or an aunt, it would be like, talking with one of my friends.

"Listen, Savannah, Dr. Thomas and I think it would be a good idea if you, well, talked to psychologist, maybe your Aunt Ruthie. Would you mind doing that?"

"No, actually, I think it's a really good idea."

"Alright I'll call Ruthie up, and see when she can fit in time for her favorite niece!" she said with a smile.

Good, at least now someone can know the truth about me.


	7. Chapter 6

"But why does she need to see a psychiatrist?" Dad said louder than I think he intended to. Which made my eavesdropping much easier. **(I know in the last chapter I said she was a psychologist… but I meant this)**

"This wasn't my idea Kevin, it was Dr. Thomas's. I just agreed, so does Savannah…"

"She's fifteen-years-old. How can she possibly know what's good for her?!" I recognized the phrase that mom used in the doctor's office.

"Kevin, you have barely spoken to her in the last month. Ever since you found out she was pregnant, you talk around her, you ask Jenny and Austin to ask her to do things. This is like when Simon and I would fight, and we'd ask someone to ask each other for something at the dinner table. You're not her brother; you're her father! And that is something she needs right now!"

"What would you like me to do? Go up there, and just forget all that's happened? I'm not like you Luce; I just can't forgive and forget… She's been lying to us for months, maybe longer, now, about ten years too soon, she's going to become a single mother, and we're going to become grandparents. I can't forgive her, not now anyway… I _do_ love her, but now… just let me work this out on my own…"

They stopped talking. I could only assume that they were hugging. I sat there, thinking about what dad just said it's true, I've given them no reason to trust me. But I don't even know how to explain this to them… maybe aunt Ruthie will be able to help me.

* * *

My "session" with aunt Ruthie's today. I reluctant to go… but I know I need to. Mom keeps on putting her  
"happy-wife-mother-nothing's going wrong in my life face."

"Savannah come on! We're going to be late if we don't leave in the next 30 seconds!"

I was in the bathroom, dealing with my newly found morning sickness. I swear, the second I knew I was pregnant, I couldn't keep anything down. Every morning for the past 3 weeks, it's been Porcelain City.

"You really think that 30 seconds is going to make a difference?!" I yelled from the bathroom.

"Come on, Ruthie's waiting for you," she yelled.

I squeezed into my favorite pair of jean shorts, which were getting almost too tight to wear.

"Fine! I'm coming!"

"Vannah…?" Jenny asked. I remembered that she's only 6, and she has no idea what's going on. "Why have you been sick?"

"Well…"

"Savannah!" mom yelled again.

"Okay! I'm coming!" I yelled, then turned to Jenny, "I tell you when I get home, okay?"

"Kay…"

I grabbed my purse, and headed downstairs. Austin sat on the couch, watching TV or playing a game. Dad, like how he had been for the past couple of weeks, was out of sight. I waved bye to Austin, and yelled it, hoping that Dad would hear me. No response. I wasn't surprised, I just wanted him to talk to me.

Mom had become very excepting of the fact that I was pregnant. I was just at twelve weeks, and had nothing more than a tiny bump to show for it. If anything I looked like I had gained weight just in my face. Even if someone knew I was pregnant, they still wouldn't be able to tell.

"Does she know?" I asked mom as we pulled up to Aunt Ruthie's office. Ruthie married Uncle Martin four years after she graduated high school. She took a year and a half off to go back to Scotland, which she loves telling people. She took some courses there, which some how, transferred and kept her only a semester behind in college. She moved back to Glen Oak, unaware that Uncle Martin had also moved back there to attend college, after learning that Aaron was Uncle Simon's and not his. Grandma brought them back together and they've inseparable ever since. I was the flower girl and Uncle Matt's twin boys were the ring-bearers. And just two years ago, they had their first child, Jacob.

"No," she said quietly, "I didn't tell her. All I told her is that you needed someone to talk to, it was important, and to just be prepared."

"So she knows I'm going to reveal something huge to her, but doesn't know what it is?" I asked as she checked me in and we sat down, "Does anyone else know? Grandma, Grandma Kenkirk, Matt, Mary, Simon? Do any of them know?"

She shook her head. I was relieved, but I was also mad, if none of them knew, it was either because Mom was too embarrassed or I was going to have to tell each and every one of them face to face.

"You can tell Grandma and Grandma Kenkirk…" I said looking up from my magazine. "If you want… I don't know if I have the guts to tell either of them."

"Oh… all right…" she said confusedly. "Do you want me to tell them, because I think they would both rather hear it from you and not me. But…"

"I already have to tell every Aunt, Uncle and Cousin… please mom… I'll tell them anything they want to know, but please, please, don't make me tell them"

"Okay, I'll tell them." I knew she was aggravated, she didn't want to tell them any more than I did. I was the oldest of the grandchildren, and the others were supposed to follow my example. Some example…

"She'll see you know…" a receptionist from behind a desk said. For a moment I thought I was here to just see a psychologist, not my aunt.

Aunt Ruthie was waiting for me at the end of the hallway. As I got closer, her smile dimmed, she could tell, and I knew it. I didn't even think I was that big, but apparently to someone I haven't seen in a while, it was very obvious I was pregnant.

She hugged me, and closed the door behind me.

"Savannah, it's been so long, what…five, six months now? I guess I haven't seen you since Austin's birthday party back in October." The weird thing is that we don't even live very far away from each other.

"Yeah, it's been awhile."

"Now, your mom says you need to talk to someone, since I am a psychiatrist, talk away!" she said with a laugh.

I didn't know where to start. Should I assume that she can see that I'm pregnant? I think she could see the panic and confusion on my face, so she, thank God, started the conversation.

"Well, how's school been?"

"You know, it's school," I said lightly.

"I loved being in high school. I watched Matt, Mary, your mom, and Simon, go through it and I couldn't wait for it! I have to admit I couldn't wait for the drama that was going to come with high school. Mary got suspended, not that _I_ wanted to get suspended. When she got back on the basketball court after the doctors told her she was never going to play basketball again. Matt and all his girlfriends. Your mom and her boyfriends. Simon had a dating service in his sophomore year, did anyone ever tell you that?"

"Simon had a dating service? Girls paid him to date them for a week or something?"

"Pretty much, he would escort them to big dinners, dances, family get-togethers, whatever they wanted. And then… one of the girls that he dated turned up pregnant the next year."

"Wait… I thought Simon and Sandy didn't meet-"

"Oh no, this wasn't Sandy. The girl hid her pregnancy from everyone, but according to one of Simon's friends, everyone knew. But she did, somehow, conceal it from her family. Simon helped deliver her baby, and then took it to the hospital, because the girl couldn't keep it."

"How could she just not keep it?!" I said, raising my voice, "how could she just let a life grow in her, and then just, give it away like it was nothing. I can't believe he agreed to help her!"

"What would you have done?"

"I don't know. I would've told the father. My parents!"

"Simon was so guilt-stricken those following weeks. He didn't want the girl to do it, but know if her didn't help her, that she might've done something worse."

"What about the father of the baby? Didn't he have the right to know? He could've helped her."

"Can he help you?" she said as though this were her plan the entire time.

"What?" I was caught off-guard.

"Could the father of your baby help you? Financially? Emotionally? Does he even love you? More importantly Savannah, does he know that you're going to be having his baby?"

"I don't know. I don't know. I can't tell him."

"Why can't tell him? Do your parents know who he is?"

I shrugged.

"Would he want to meet them?"

I shrugged again, more angrily this time.

"Does he even want to be involved in his child's life?"

"I don't know!"

"Will you tell me who he is?"

"I can't…" I said quietly.

"Why can't you tell me?"

"I just can't… please, don't push the subject."

"Savannah, please, just tell me his name."

I shook my head. She was going to make me admit the one thing I didn't want anyone to know.

"Is he someone that shouldn't be the father? A teacher? A boss? Was is someone you trusted, and they took advantage of you?"

I felt like a cop was interrogating me. That they were trying to get the name of a rapist for a rape that wasn't committed. I could practically see the detectives on one side of the two-way mirror looking in on me. Waiting for me to blurt out the truth.

"No! No! No! He's not one of my teachers, he's not my old boss, and it's not a family member that I trusted. I wasn't raped! No one seems to believe me. They can't believe that I got myself into this situation. You want to know why I can't tell you his name?"

"Yes." She said firmly.

"Are you really sure you want to know?"

She nodded her head.

"I can't tell you his name because I'm not even sure who he is."

"Savannah…"

"No, everyone wants the truth, so here it is!" I couldn't control myself. I had never raised my voice to an adult before, and it just got louder and louder. "The father of my baby could be one of three guys. One whom I know very well, and the others, let's just say… I don't know a whole lot more than their first names. If they even were their _real_ names, I wouldn't even know where to find them."

"Savannah… you've been partying… hooking up?" I nodded my head. "Why?"

"I don't know… first it was just to escape. I was tired of being 'Pastor Lucy Kenkirk's daughter.' Everyone thought I was a goodie-two-shoes, and I was tired of it. I've been wasted every weekend since the beginning of the school year. I stopped the minute I suspected I was pregnant."

"But Savannah, what about STD's? AIDS?"

"Everyone took precautions…"

"Then how do you explain this?" she said indicating my stomach.

"Most of the time. I didn't have unprotected sex all the time. Only twice."

"Savannah, all those boys did was take advantage of a fourteen-year-old girl. If any of those boys were over the age of 18…"

"I consented. I won't file lawsuits. I was practically begging each and everyone of those boys, at first they told me I was to young, I told them nothing would happen to them."

"I don't understand Savannah… you've always been so good."

"Exactly. I needed to rebel. I regret it. I won't stop beating myself up for what I've done to myself, and the pain I'm going to cause our family. I regret it, but I'm not sorry. If I didn't do what I did, then I wouldn't have this life growing in me now."

"But what about your mom and dad? How did they take it when you told them?"

"I didn't so much tell them, as, they found out on accident." She gave me a confused look. "I left the test in the trash. Dad found it, assumed mom was pregnant, and when she told him it wasn't hers, they put it together."

"But Lucy is here now. She seems very happywell, anxious about it. What about your dad?"

"He hasn't spoken to me in almost a month. He told me when he 'finds out who did this to me he was going to make him do the right thing. And if he refused and he's older, he's going to press charges.' But I can't tell him that I don't know who the father is. Mom doesn't even know. They both think it's this guy that I always hang around with."

"Well, why did you tell them that he was the father, if you don't know who he is?"

"I panicked. I was more afraid of what would happen if I didn't have name, then if I just blurted one out."

For the first time in a month I felt relieved. I had finally told someone the truth.

"If you don't mind, I just have one more question. Okay?" I nodded my head. I had a feeling I knew exactly what this question was going to be. But I still didn't want her to ask it. "Why did you start partying and hooking up?"

"I wanted to feel like someone wanted me, and that someone loved me. I didn't do it just because I enjoyed what I was doing. I did it, because I loved feeling like someone actually cared about me."

The hour was up. I was glad that I opened up to Ruthie. Now all I had to do was find an easier way to break it to the rest of the family. And Tim, Tim actually could be the father, and I want him to be the father. None of those other guys would be able to handle it.

"Ready?" Mom said as I walked back into the waiting area. I nodded my head. "How was it? Did you get anything off your chest?"

"Yeah, and mom," I said as walked into the parking lot, "I need to tell you someone of the stuff that I told her."

"Oh, okay…" she said nervously.


	8. Chapter 7

**I know! I know! It's been forever! I just had this writer's block, and forgot where I needed to go and then didn't know how to get there. I've also had issues with work, family, school, ect. Well, ENJOY!!!**

"You need to tell me some things?" she asked confusedly.

"About the father."

"About the father?" she repeated. "Okay, what do you want to tell me about him?"

"You might want to pull over or something," I said, there was no way I was going to tell what she needed to know while she was driving.

"Okay," she said pulling into a half-empty parking lot of a grocery store.

"I lied." I blurted out.

"You lied…? About the father, about Tim?" I nodded. "What did you lie about?"

"I-" I didn't want to say it, the more I said it, the more I felt like a slut.

"You, what? Were you protecting him? Did he make you do it? Did you say 'no'?"

"No, no, no, mom, I wasn't raped. I know this is hard for you to hear, and I know dad won't want to hear it either, but when you both found out and dad demanded to know who the father was, I panicked. I just blurted out the first name that popped into my head."

"So Tim's not the father of your baby?" she asked.

"Well, he might be."

"What do you mean 'might be'?" she said, I knew she was getting angry.

"I'm not 100 percent sure who the father is." She looked at me with such anger, and an expression that said, "how can you not know?"

"I didn't tell you, or anyone, because I didn't want them looking at me like you are now. Tim could be the father. And I really can't tell you anything about the other two guys that may be the father. I"

"Get out." She said sternly. I was taken back. She had been so supportive this entire time. And was this the straw that broke the camel's back? Maybe she could only handle so much, and that was it.

"What?" I asked.

"Get out." She repeated.

"But mom…"

"GET OUT!" she screamed. It was the first time she had really ever yelled at me. Even when she found out I was pregnant, she didn't yell out of anger, it was out of love. This was not love, this was pure anger. I didn't want to make her any angrier than she already was, so I got out without saying a word. She didn't say a word, she rolled down the window, and for a moment I think she was going to say something, but then changed her mind.

"See you at home?" I asked hopefully. Nothing. Not a nod, or even a hand wave, nothing. She didn't acknowledge one bit that I had spoken to her.

After a minute, she drove away, and then she stopped. I thought she was going to turn around, but she kept going. Luckily for me, I was just 4 months pregnant, so I was barely showing (**it's late April**). As Hilary told me, no one would be able to tell, unless they already knew. I got out my phone, and then realized I didn't know who could come to pick me up.

I scrolled through some of the names, Grandma Camden, maybe. Hilary: doesn't have her license yet. Sam and David: school. Ruthie: may still be working. The last person I knew I could count on, Tim: maybe.

I called Ruthie's number.

"Dr. Ruthie Brewer's Office, how may I help you?" a young woman answered.

"Uh, yes, this is Ruthie's niece, Savannah, is she available?"

"Let me go check," she said, and I was put on hold.

"This is Dr. Brewer," Ruthie said in a professional voice, the receptionist must've just told her it was me after she had answered. "Savannah? What's wrong?"

"Mom…" I said, then I burst into tears, "she… I told her… she left me…"

"Okay, Savannah, I need you to calm down. What did she say?"

"She just told me to get out of the car," I said in between breaths.

"Can you get someone to pick you up and take you home, or do you want me to come and get you?" she asked.

"I think I can get someone." I said, dreading whom I was going have to call.

"Okay, but I want you to call me and tell me whether or not you need me to come get you, okay? If you don't call me in ten minutes, I'll come and get you, okay?"

"Okay, I'm at the grocery store about two miles from your office."

"Okay, bye"

"Bye," I said closing my phone. I knew I was going to have to call him. As much as I didn't want to, I knew he was my best bet.

I opened my phone again, and scrolled to his name and pressed 'send.' The phone rang for what seemed like an eternity, and finally he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Tim… it's me, Savannah…" I said as if he didn't already know that.

"Hey Sav, I haven't seen you in awhile. I've been trying to talk to you at school, but you always seem to be avoiding me."

"I know, I'm really sorry about doing that, I'll explain everything to you later, I promise. But, are you doing anything right now?" I asked.

"Not really, just studying, doing homework, that kind of stuff. Why?"

"Well, is there any way you can come and pick me up?" I asked hopefully.

"Uh… yeah, sure. But why?"

"I'll explain it when you get here. I'm at the grocery store at Park and Daily. You know where it is?"

"Yeah, that's just a couple minutes from here. I'll see you in a few. Bye."

"Bye, thanks." I breathed a sigh of relief. I went back to Ruthie's number and called it.

"Dr. Brewer's office, how can I help you?"

"Yes, this Savannah, may I speak to Ruthie?"

"Just a moment."

I waited again, and listened to some of the most God-awful music. I didn't understand why someone would torture the people that were they're clients.

"Savannah? Do you need me to come get you?"

"No…" I could barely muster a word before she started speaking again.

"I called your mom"

"What did she say?" I asked.

"Not much. She said that she just can't be around you. I told her not to do anything rash. I don't think she will. Did you tell her everything that you told me?"

"Not all, but what she really needed to know. I told her that Tim may not be the father."

"Well, if you need anything call me, okay sweetie?"

"Okay, well, Tim's here and he's going to give me a ride home." I said as I saw his car pull into the parking lot. Tim turned 16 just a few weeks ago. He told me that he was held back when he was in kindergarten.

"Hey," he said as I opened the door.

"Hey…"

"So what happened?" he said diving straight into the conversation that I did not want to have.

"My mom… she went a little hay-wire…"

"About?" He was going to drag it out of me. I knew he heard some of the rumors at school. I know he heard me Hilary talking. There was no way that he didn't at least have a clue.

"Okay, you've heard the rumors that have been going on about me?" I said as he pulled out of the parking lot. He shrugged his shoulders as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

"Remember Justin's party? The one that was right before Valentines Day?"

He nodded his head.

"I thought we weren't going to talk about that." He said softly. "That's what we said, we weren't going to talk about it because we didn't want it to ruin our friendship."

"Yeah, I know that's what we said. But we need to talk about it now. The rumors about me being pregnant," I took a deep breath, he did too, "they're true."

"You're saying that…"

"Yes. I'm saying that. And you might be the one." He looked confused. "You might be the father. I'm pretty sure you are. And… I just… I had to tell you…"

"So you're saying that you're pregnant, and there's a chance that I'm the father…?" I nodded. "I think I need to pull over." He said coming slowly to a stop. "How long have you known?"

"Um… about the same time the rumors started… three… four weeks…"

"But it's the end of April, we… haven't since February… there's no way…"

"I've known for three or four weeks, I'm more pregnant than that." I offered. Apparently the boy didn't know math. "I'm 12 weeks."

"But… you said… that I _might_ be the father… so there's a possibility that I'm not?" he said with what sounded like hope.

"Well… yes… but according to this website, you can put in your due date and it tells you everything, and even when conception most likely occurred." (**BTW there really is a website to do that**)

He put his forehead on the wheel, and took very deep breaths.

"I've wanted to tell you, I just didn't know how, and I didn't want to tell you if I wasn't almost positive that you were the father."

"You couldn't've just said, 'hey, remember when we did that thing we don't talk about, well guess what? I'm pregnant!'?" he said sarcastically.

"Listen, I just thought you should know. You don't have to be involved at all. I've already decided that I'm going to keep this baby. I understand if you're not ready." He stayed quiet and got back on the road.

"That's why your mom freaked out." He said louder than I think he intended to.

"What?"

"Well, you said she freaked out. You just gave them a name, didn't you?" how could he know this, I didn't tell anyone besides Hilary, and I knew she wouldn't talk about this with anyone, especially him. "Your father demanded to know, and your mother begged you to tell them who it was. That's what happened whenever they found out." I couldn't believe that he knew all this, I couldn't even figure out how he would even get this information.

"How did yo"

"And then, today, for whatever reason," he continued as if I didn't interrupt him. "You decided to tell her the truth. And what's worse then finding out that your fifteen-year-old is pregnant? But that she can't even tell you who the father is because she's been sleeping around."

I nearly lost it right there in the car. "Let me out." I said.

"Wait, Sav," he said slowing down, as I got out of the car. "I didn'tlisten to me!" his voice raised as I walked down the street. The tears came immediately. I didn't know where I was, and I didn't want to be around him, for a moment I actually thought he had left me alone. But after a few minutes I noticed he was walking right behind me. "Sav, please, that came out all wrongplease, just hear me out."

"Why should I listen to you?" I said wiping my face, "You basically just called me a whore, and you want me to stand here and console you, while you think about deciding whether or not you're going to be involved in your child's life? N-"

Before I could finish my sentence he pulled me into a kiss. I couldn't think. My mind was going wild. We couldn't be doing this. He shouldn't be kissing me. When he pulled away from me, I couldn't speak. I stood there like a mannequin, and he turned back towards his car.

"What was that?!" I yelled at him.

"What?"

"First you can't be around me, and then you pull this, movie kiss on me, you sweep me off my feet and I'm supposed to come crawling back to you?"

He stood there, next to his car. Silent.

"You can't do this to me. I can't be relying on this. I can't have you build up my hopes just so that they can be crushed."

"Okay…I'm sorry, it was stup"

"Yes, it was. Right now you have this romanticized look at the possibility of parenthood. You can't just be with me all the sudden because we're having a baby together. You can't date me, or marry me just because you think it's the right thing to do. I've seen it happen to too many other girls, the couple gets married cause they think it's a good idea, sometimes, they hardly know each other. No, I'm not doing that to my baby."

"_Our,"_ he corrected me, "it's _our_ baby."

"Until you know you can be a father, even if it isn't yours, and still love the two of us, then it will be _our _baby, _our _child. You, you can walk away, and never think about us again. But for the rest of my life, I'll be a mother, no matter what happens."

We both stood there, neither of us saying a word. He didn't move, didn't jester, nothing. I still had enough time to get home before it got dark if I walked. I turned around and headed for my house. And after taking about 15 steps, I heard Tim's car start, and I started to cry again. I wasn't going to look back, no matter what. I wasn't going to give him the pleasure of knowing how much I really care for him.

His car pulled up next to me, "Sav, please, let me take you home,"

I stood there, silently.

"Please, I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to you or the baby. Please, it's only a couple of minutes from here."

I caved. I got into the car. We didn't say a word to each other until he finally got to my house, and even then, all I could muster was a "thanks… bye."

He said something like, "I'll see you at school, or, I'll call you and we'll figure this out."

But the moment I turned around, I noticed something terribly wrong.


	9. Chapter 8

Hey y'all, sorry about taking so long to update! I wasn't doing it on purpose, I just had some school/work/friends drama for the past couple of weeks. Anyway, I'll try to stay on top of writing chapters, but no promises. MUCHO thanks to all who reviewed!! Five cookies for each of you! And I'll have to say that some characters are going to have OOC moments. And because it's taken me so long to update b/c of some friend drama, it's a bigger chapter!! ENJOY!!!

* * *

"Mom?" I asked, "mom, what are you doing?" 

She ignored me, and continued to toss my things out on the front lawn.

She was kicking me out.

She was _actually_ kicking me out. She had been so supportive in the beginning, and now, this? Just an hour ago, I was her perfect daughter who made a mistake, and now, I'm the slut that got myself into trouble.

"Mom, you can't be serious," I said picking up my things. "Dad?" I asked as he appeared in the doorway.

"Your mother told me everything." He said, for the first time in a month, speaking directly to me and looking into my eyes. And when he looked at me, and spoke to me, I could see the tears that were already there, and more were forming.

"We both agree that you can't live here anymore."

"So you're kicking me out because I was honest with the two of you?" I said spitefully.

"No, Savannah, do you know how disappointed we are in you?" there. He used it, 'disappointment,' that worse than saying 'we're angry with you,' it's worse than getting in trouble.

"You've been lying to us for months. Your mother tired to be supportive of you. I wanted to be there for you, but deep down I knew I couldn't. You're our daughter, and we love you, but you can't live here. Not around Austin, not around Jenny."

"What? Are you afraid I'm going to corrupt them? Teach Austin how to smoke weed and teach Jenny the joy's of sex?" I said sarcastically. "With any luck by the time she's my age, she'll already have one, and another on the way!"

I was slapped.

Hard.

At first, I didn't know who was the one that did it. But when I opened my eyes, I saw mom standing in front of me. Tear's running down her face.

I'd never been hit before. There was the occasional spanking when I was little. But even that was nothing. I'd seen girls get hit in fights before. But there was no way that those hurt more than this. I couldn't stand down. I knew that I couldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that hurt me more than it looked. I looked her straight in the eye.

"Did that make you feel better?"

She looked ahead. More and more tears streaming down her face.

"What about you?" I turned to dad. I don't know why, but I felt the need to provoke the two of them. "Do you want a turn? Want to do whatever it take's to make sure I never do anything like this to _you _again."

"Savannah, don't do this to us." He said firmly.

"Oh, yes, everything that I've done was to you two. None of it was to myself. Heck! At least this way I've gotten a little bit of attention out of it." I don't know why I was saying this. I couldn't help it. It all came spilling out of my mouth.

"God forbid you come and have a conversation with me, when Austin is sitting on the couch doing nothing but let his brain cells melt away! Or you miss a single one of Jenny's ballet lessons, and come to one of my choir concerts or volleyball games! Hell, maybe if you two had been better parents to all three of us, all of this could have been avoided! Cause, like you said, my being pregnant only effects you too and your picture perfect image!"

I was slapped again.

"Having this baby has nothing to do with me! I'm only the mother, I'm the one who has to carry it!"

Every resentful thought that I had about or towards my parents was said.

"Do you honestly think that's what this is about?" mom said.

"Please, if it's not, enlighten me."

"We decided that we were going to support you, and then you lied to us about everything! How could you have had your first kiss and I didn't know about it. You haven't been honest with us in ages!"

"Did you want me to tell you that I was having sex? That I was hooking up with any boy that gave me the time of day. He could be 15, 16, 20, or 30, I didn't care. At least then for a brief time, I felt that someone loved me."

"You think that we don't love you? You're our oldest child…"

"You two don't give a damn about me. I'm not perfect! I'm not even close. But if I'm not perfect, I might as well not even exist."

"Savannah, you know that's not true!"

"Isn't it though? If I'm not the best at what I do, then I'm practically invisible. Neither of you are perfect!" I turned towards dad. "You got married because you thought your girlfriend was pregnant. And then you might as well had an affair with that woman cop friend. You spent more time with her then you did us!"

"Leave." My dad said. "Don't expect to come crawling back to us, when you have no where else to go."

I had never been spoken to so cruelly. Then again, I've never said such mean things to my parents.

"Fine. I don't need your help." I turned away from them. "I'll just whore myself out until I'm too far long! And when I die on the streets," I turned back around to face them, and with all sarcasm but with a serious voice continued. "After selling the baby for drugs, you'll remember that was the last thing you said to me, and the last thing you did was slap me." I turned around again grabbed a duffel bag, and left.

They didn't know it, but I was crying. But nothing was going to make me turn around. They didn't want me there, and I understood that. But to suggest that I would try to manipulate Austin and Jenny, this would be the last thing I would want for either of them.

I heard crying, and some yelling, "why did you slap her?" came from dad. "You didn't have to yell at her," came from mom. "She doesn't have anywhere to go, besides your sisters, she'll be back." He said loudly.

"AND YOU TOLD HER NOT TO COME BACK!" she yelled back at him.

After this, I could no longer hear them. I didn't want to. I didn't care. I picked up my phone and called Ruthie's once again.

I spoke to the same receptionist. And she put me through to Aunt Ruthie.

"Savannah…" she said softly, "what's wrong honey?"

"She kicked me out. They both did. They said that they didn't want me around Austin and Jenny. And that I'm doing all of this to spite them."

"So I'm taking that you told them everything that you told me?"

"Yes. I didn't mean too. I just all came out. Once I started I couldn't stop. And they said I had to leave and I couldn't come back." I said trying to hold back the tears.

"Oh, sweet heart, I'm sorry. Where are you now?"

"About two blocks away from the house. I just took one of the bags she threw out on the lawn and walked away." I said, slowing starting to cry.

"First you need to calm down, okay? I'm done here for the day. I'll come and pick you up. We'll stop at your parent's and I'll try to talk some sense into them"

"They don't need sense! They don't want me anymore!" I realized how irrational I was sounding.

"Of course they want you, they're just upset with you. I want you to stay where you are, and I'll be there in about ten minutes or so, okay?" she said calmly.

She hung up. And I thought about what she said. But what if she was wrong? What if they weren't just mad, and wanted nothing more to do with me?

My cell phone brought me back to earth.

Tim: Miss u.

I thought about it. There was no way he could miss me. I just saw each other.

Me: Wat? U just saw me.

Tim: I kno. But I do.

Me: Thanx.

I didn't know what else to say to him, 'yeah, I miss you too?' I didn't want him to think that now I was his girlfriend. We have much bigger things to discuss than dating. I stared at the screen that was blank except for the 'thanx.'

I could tell him yet. This didn't involve him. Not really though. He didn't need this on his conscious. It was bad enough that I've brought Aunt Ruthie into it. Without sending the text, I closed the phone. Just moments later I got another text from him.

Tim: Srry if that was weird.

I laughed. He was right. It was weird. I didn't know how to respond to it.

Me: its ok, im just thinkin bout other stuff.

Tim: n e thing I can do? ;)

Me: no, its fam stuff. Thanx though.

Aunt Ruthie, I've discovered, has impeccable timing. As soon as I sent the message, I saw her driving towards me. She drove a small SUV, which she and Peter bought a few months before Jacob was born. Jacob was the spitting image of Peter. Even at the tender age of one, there were so many similarities.

She stopped the car directly in front of me. I got in silently. I didn't need to be the patient right now. I just needed someone who understood and supported my decisions.

"Hey," she said turning the car around and heading back for my house, "have you heard from either of your parents?"

I shook my head. "No." I said softly. "But it hasn't been that long. Just 30 minutes or so."

My ten-minute walk was about a 5-second drive. She pulled into the driveway, and all of my things were still on the front lawn.

"I want you to stay in here, okay?"

"But-"

"Please, just stay in the car. I don't want you to hear anything that might hurt you."

"A little late for that…" I said under my breath.

"Get what you can into the back, and I'll be back in a little while okay?"

"Okay…" I was being as polite as I could. I don't know why, but I was having the urge to be short with people. I didn't like it. It wasn't my normal self.

I saw her walk up the driveway and knock on the door. After a moment, someone answered the door. It must've been Jenny; I could barely see her there in the doorway. Shortly mom appeared, looking around, as though she expected me to be right there.

They went inside. I walked around to gather my things. Though I didn't really get the point. In just a few weeks they would all be too small. After a minute I heard the door open. I started to run back to the car, but then I saw it was Austin and Jenny. And for the brief second that door was open, I heard lots of yelling.

"This has nothing to do with you!"

"She's just 15!"

"She's already made her decision!"

"This is about her!"

I knew it was all three of them yelling. Ruthie though, was the calmest of the three of them.

"Vannah?" asked Austin, "why is everyone yelling?"

"Remember you asked me this morning why I've been so sick?"

"Uh-huh…" they both said softly. I was going to have to gently break it to my younger siblings that I was pregnant.

"Well, I'm going to be a mommy," I said, "like how Aunt Ruthie had Jake? I'm going to have a baby."

"Then why is everyone fighting?" asked Jenny, "no one fought when aunt Ruthie said she was going to have a baby." **(Okay, I'm not very good at dialogue for little kids, so just imagine it that a 6-year-old is saying it.)**

This was going to be harder than I thought.

"Because," I tried to think of way to sugar coat this, "the stork usually brings babies to married people, right?" they both nodded, "well, sometimes, the stork decides that people who aren't married are going to get a baby. And sometimes they're really young, even though most people don't think that the stork should bring young people like me, a baby. You understand?"

They muttered 'yes's.'

"Now, you both need to go back inside, okay?" Austin turned immediately, but Jenny was less willing.

"Are you coming too?" she asked, looking up at me.

"No, not now. But I'll see you soon okay? I promise." I gave her a smile and she turned towards the house.

Austin got to the door first and opened it, only to release more yelling.

"She's just a little slut!"

"Kevin, you know that's not true!"

"Then how do you explain this situation we're all in?!" I heard mom yell.

"She made a mistake, for God's sake Lucy, she's 15! She's allowed to make a judgement error!"

"Now you're calling it a 'judgement error'?!" scoffed dad.

The door shut and the screaming was muted.

I did that thing, were I half-laughed and half-cried at the same time. "So the truth comes out…" I said quietly to myself.

After ten more minutes of muted screaming, Ruthie appeared outside. I was in the car, and she said something I couldn't quite make out, but it was followed by an inappropriate hand gesture. She got into the car, obviously flustered. I wanted to make a silly comment to try to break the ice, but I was too afraid that she would end up kicking me out of the car.

"Your parents---" she said not directly to me, but though she was just thinking out loud. "Are the most hard-headed, ridiculous, selfish people I've ever met!"

"Oh, it went that well, huh?" I asked.

"They kept on saying that you were a disgrace, and that the baby has no right to be with you. And if it was up to them it would be put straight up for adoption. I couldn't believe some of the stuff that was coming out of their mouths about you…"

"I know, I heard…"

"Oh, you did?" she asked. I nodded. "I'm sorry for that,"

"No, you were sticking up for me, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"Thanks, but I still feel bad. You are going to come live with Peter and me. But you have to know, no sneaking out."

"Believe me, I won't be doing that again."

We made small talk for the rest of the drive back to her house.

"I've already talked to Peter about this. We've got a spare bedroom that you can stay in for now. But hopefully, like my mom did with our old house, we can convert the garage into a little apartment or something for you. There's plumbing already out there. And you can stay there as long as you need to. But you need to think about maybe getting emancipated from your parents. I know it might seem like a long shot, but you at least need to consider it, okay?"

"Okay," I said grateful that Ruthie was going to allow me to live with them.

The next five months are going to be really interesting.


	10. Chapter 9

**Thanks to SugarBaby101 for pointing out my mistake. (Ruthie is married to Peter, NOT Martin, even though I said her last name was Brewer.) And if anyone else caught it, 5 cookies for you!**

Ruthie had given a bunch of pamphlets on emancipation, A LOT.  
_Why to Do It.  
Why Not to Do It.  
The Pro's.  
The Con's.  
How it Will Effect Your Family.  
Parents Point of View on Emancipation.  
A Teens Point of View.  
Choosing a Guardian. _

The list went on and on. I really didn't want to get emancipated from my parents, but I couldn't think of a good reason not to. But it would mean technically, I wouldn't rely on them for anything to do with money. I think for now, I'm just not going to think about it. But Ruthie did point out that I should start looking for a job. Though, I don't know what place would hire a pregnant 15-year-old. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't.

It was no secret at school that I was pregnant. But, in that month following moving in with Ruthie, Peter, and Jacob, I put on like, 10 pounds! 10! I don't know what it was, but since then, I've barely put on any weight at all.

It's been 5 weeks since my fight with my parents, and we haven't spoken to each other since. I'm pretty sure that they've spoken to Ruthie and Peter, but I haven't heard from them.

The longer my parents ignored me, the worse I felt. I was even starting to consider giving the baby up for adoption. Tim and I hadn't really discussed it. And we weren't a "serious couple," we hadn't planned anything for when after the baby's born. Not if we were going to live together, and if so, where, absolutely nothing. He had a very romantic outlook on the situation, I, on the other hand, had very real outlook.

Ruthie, once again, brought me about a thousand pamphlets on adoption. Most of them had the same titles as the Emancipation ones. Everything from "Why to do it" to "How it affects the child"and "Choosing a family."

I stayed with Ruthie and Peter until the end of the school year. By the last week of school I hadn't had an ultra sound since my first one back in April. Ruthie knew that it was time for me to go again, though I really didn't want to. The first one was bad enough, everything that came out after that, who knows what might come out with this one.

Maybe my due date will change, and it'll show that Tim's not the baby's father. He's gotten so used to the idea, I have too, but I doubt he'll feel the same way if this ultrasound proves the both of us wrong.

"Hey Savannah," Ruthie said as she walked into my room, "do you remember the name of the doctor your mom took you to?"

"Uh," I wasn't quite sure, to be honest I wasn't really paying attention, but I wracked my brain. "I think it was something like, Thompson... Tom... Tom... Thomas! Yeah, Dr. Thomas." **(Hahaha reference to Pirates of the Caribbean)**

"Oh, that's the same OB-GYN I had," she said nonchalantly.

"Okay... that's weird. You and mom and now me all have the same 'Lady Doctor'! Our family is way too close!" I said with a laugh.

"Well, I'll call her later and see if I can set you up and appointment. It's getting to be around that time," she smiled widely.

"About what time?" I asked her goofy grin.

"Savannah, this check up, you'll know if you're going to have a boy or a girl! Or maybe even two of something, twins do run in the family you know."

"Ugh, don't even think about it!" I said, jokingly rolling my eyes, "Lord knows I cannot handle twins!"

"Listen, Savannah, seriously, have you given any thought to what you're going to do after the baby's born? You're welcome to stay here, you are. But I know that for the past couple weeks you've been looking into adoption." I moved uneasily in my place, "And you need to know, that if you decided to that, it's permanent, there's no looking back."

"I know," I said softly, "but isn't the important thing to do what's best for the baby?"

"And yourself. I have no doubt that you can do this. You'll need help. But everyone does."

"You didn't."

"But I was married. Help was already there. Your mom moved back in with me and grandma and grandpa Camden after she had you. And she already had your dad."

"Funny, she never mentioned that," I said, meaning to keep that in my head.

"Peter and I would be more than happy to help you. But it has to be something that you want. It's your decision."

"I know, I do," I said smiling, "and thank you."

"Okay, well, I'll leave you to your studying, your exams are next week right? I'll let you know when your next appointment will be."

"Yeah, okay, thanks." I said as she left.

I think that she forget that those things are all I think about. Whether or not to keep the baby, whether I should get my parent's involved. All that. I think about it all the time.

Two weeks later.

I can't believe it. It's real. I mean it's really real. It's not like it hasn't always felt real. But now, it's just, I can't believe I'm going to be a mother. Today it sank in. And it sank it when I realized that in four months I'm going to have a little girl to bring home.

I was glowing. Or so I was told. I had decided that until I resolve things with my parents that I was going to continue living with Ruthie and Peter. Not like I really had any other choice. But, I wanted to. I wanted to live with them.

I was getting more and more excited about the baby coming. She would be here soon. And she would have parents to love her. I was so convinced I was having a boy, that all I planned out were boy names. I hadn't even looked into girls names. Not at all.

"Do you want to tell your mom?" Ruthie asked as we drove back to the house.

"Do you think she'll actually want to talk to me?"

She shrugged.

"I don't know. But it's been over two months... and you haven't spoken to either of them."

"They haven't tried to speak to me either!" I snapped.

"I know. I know. But you can be the bigger person. Prove to your parent's that you're maturing."

"Why? They don't care. They'd rather pretend I not exist than have an illegitimate grandchild." I said sorely.

"We both know that's not true. They were both upset. She tells me all the time about how sorry she is. That she let her anger get the best of her." she said softly.

"Then why hasn't she, or my dad asked to speak to me when they call?"

"I know my sister, Savannah. And she doesn't easily let go of anything."

"Even when it comes to her daughter?"

"Even when it came to me. Give her time. She'll come around. Sooner or later. She will."

"And it'll probably be around the time I give birth..." I said rudely.

"It might be. I'm not going to sugar coat her actions for you. She's acting as a jealous teen. Not a mother. Just don't give up on her yet."

"If you say so."

We continued talking about Lord knows what until we got back to the house.

"Peter?!" Ruthie yelled as we walked in. "Are you home?"

"Yes, yes." (Yay for Peter's first words of the story!) "So? How'd everything go?" he asked me.

"We're both healthy. And you're going to have a niece," I said smiling from ear to ear.

"That's great Savannah," he said but was interrupted by the phone ringing.

"I'll get it," Ruthie said.

"Okay," Peter continued. "So do you have any names in mind?"

"Not really, I mean, every name I had picked out were boys names. I—"

I stopped when I heard a cry from the kitchen. Peter and I exchanged looks before walking in there, to still see Ruthie on the phone, tears running down her face.

"Yes, thanks, I'll tell her, and we'll be there soon."

Peter and I stopped dead in our tracks.

"What happened?" Peter asked before I got the chance.

"Savannah, there's been an accident."

**Thanks a bunch to MyChemicalRomanceSavedMyLife, sugarandy90210, fullhouse, swimgirl102903, fangirl44, hiddenxtalent, swimmergirl07, Kikidevil17, candygirl200413 and last, but certainly not least, hug-me, for reviewing!!**

**Okay, I'm REALLY REALLY REALLY sorry about how long it took me to update. But for some reason, I just couldn't get this chapter going. And I know not a lot happens. But it's kinda a filler-chapter. And I'm also really sorry about how short it is. And I would also like some help on picking out names. I've narrowed it down to a couple:**

**for first names:  
Kaelyn  
Kadence  
Peyton**

**for middle names:  
Grace  
Paige  
Faith**


	11. Chapter 10

**Okay, WOW. I didn't realize that it has been 4 months since I updated. Y'all know how it goes. School started, and then my Internet was down for almost a month, and then well, everyone has their own reasons. Anyway, ****I've ****been busy with school and such, and honestly, ****I've****lacked the will or even the interest to write. BUT ALAS! It has come back! I will do my best to make this chapter as long as I can. I hope y'all enjoy!**

**2 Months Later**

Kaelyn Grace, that's what I decided, Kaelyn Grace Kenkirk. And, I've decided that I'm keeping her, no matter what. And only because of what happened two months ago, after I found out she was a girl.

**Flashback**

"Savannah," Ruthie said, "there's been an accident."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Your mom, dad and Jenny were in a car accident. Jenny and Kevin are fine, but Lucy…" she started to cry.

"What happened to her?" I asked, tears welling up in my eyes. "Is she okay? Or"

"Savannah… it's not good."

We rushed to the hospital. Neither of us said a word. I didn't dare ask what happened, since she didn't offer it. I knew it had to be terrible. I just closed my eyes and kept thinking "happy thoughts." I was hoping that maybe, it wasn't that bad, maybe Ruthie is over-reacting and this is all just a ploy to get me to start talking to my parents again. I prayed that nothing had gone terribly wrong.

When we ran inside, the orderly's and nurses came straight to me, it took both Ruthie and me to explain that we were here because of other reasons.

"Sit down here, dear," and orderly said.

"No, really I'm fine."

"Nonsense dear" said a nurse.

"No, really"

"Someone get me a chair!" she yelled.

"I'm only 5 ½ months pregnant, I'm not in labor!" I looked over at Ruthie, pleading for help.

"Listen," Ruthie said, "she's not here because of that. Her parents and sister were in a car accident. Believe me, if we were here for her, you'd know."

"Alright…" the nurse said. "Then how can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Lucy, Jenny, and Kevin Kenkirk, like I said, they were in a car accident earlier."

"Kenkirk… Kenkirk. Ah, here we are, Kevin and Jennifer… they're in room 341, and Lucy, it looks like she's still in surgery."

"Surgery?" I asked.

"It's okay, Sav," she said giving me a hug, "341, you said?"

The nurse nodded. Ruthie and I slowly walked towards the elevator. My thoughts were racing, how bad is it? She's in surgery, dad and Jenny, aren't but, that doesn't mean that they're any less hurt. And the last thing my parents said to me was I was a slut and a disgrace to the family. I knew it wasn't really what they meant, they were angry, I was angry, we all said things that we didn't mean, but I didn't want that to be how things ended between us.

"Savannah?" Ruthie asked, "are you coming?"

I didn't realize that I had been just standing in front of the elevator.

"Yeah," I said quietly, "Ruthie?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think she's really really hurt?"

"I don't know, Sav. I mean, they wouldn't tell me anything over the phone, and, I mean, I know all the same information that you know."

"There's nothing more you know?" I asked seriously. She didn't act like she knew all that I knew, it was if there was something more that she just wouldn't or couldn't tell me. "You don't know anything else?"

"Savannah, why would I lie to you about this? What do I have to gain from it?"

"I don't know. I mean, I just feel like you're not telling me something. If you are, I'm sure it's for my own good, but I just…"

I stopped as the elevator doors opened. Ruthie breathed a sigh of relief, as if something were about to come out of my mouth and she would go crazy.

"341…" she said looking down the hallways.

"Neither of these signs go to the 40's…" I said pointing out the two signs in front of the elevator. One which said '301-309' the other, '310-325,' "that's weird…"

"Um… let's just find a nurses station," she said frustratedly.

We wondered around the two hallways which went in separate directions, neither of them seemed to end, patients after patients lying in their beds, watching TV.

"Here we are!" she said with a sigh, "yes, um…"

The woman smiled and put up a finger to indicate, 'one moment.'

We stood in front of the desk for what felt like a million years, me, looking down at my feet, Ruthie, trying harder and harder to get the woman's attention.

"Yes?" said a deep southern accent, "how may I help you?"

"Yeah, my niece and I are looking for my sister, Lucy, Kevin and Jenny Kenkirk. The woman down stairs said that…"

"Ah, Kenkirk, you said?" we both nodded our heads in frustration. "Well, it seems that they've just been moved…"

"What?! We were down stairs just a few minutes ago and she said…"

"Yes ma'am, I understand that, but you see, they were all just moved. Mrs. Kenkirk is in room 215, and Mr. Kenkirk and Jennifer, well, that's strange…"

"What's strange?" I asked.

"Well, it seems that Mr. Kenkirk, and Jennifer, they've been checked out. Literally, just minutes ago. It was AMA, but, he decided that they were both well enough to go home."

"You couldn't stop him? That's my sister, what if she's really hurt?"

"Believe me dear, if she was in that bad of shape, nothing would have let him leave with her."

"So she's fine?" I asked, "And my dad too?"

"Yes, cuts and bruises, that was it."

"What about Lucy?"

"I'm sorry, but I really can't discuss that with you. Like I said, she's in room 215, and you can speak with her doctor down there. Really ladies, I'm sorry."

We both walked away, knowing that we got all the information out of the woman that we could, and didn't want to bother trying to get more. Ruthie explained that she'd already given more information than what she was supposed to, and that if she gave anymore that she could lose her job.

"Ruthie? What do you know about mom? What aren't you telling me?"

"I told you, I don't know anymore than you do." She said, her eyes looking everywhere but at me.

"That's bull, and you know it."

"Sav, it's not my place."

"Is it bad?" I asked curiously.

"Not, _bad_, per se… Please, I promised her I wouldn't tell you."

"So you've been lying to me, all day?"

"Believe me, I wanted to tell you, but I gave her my word."

"I can't believe you! You've been lecturing me on honesty and whatever, and you can't be honest with me!"

I stormed down the hallway, childish, I know, but I was so angry with her. What on earth could she not tell me?

"Savannah, wait!" she yelled after me, "come on!"

"Why?" I yelled back, "why should I listen to you?"

"Just come on, as soon as she's awake, I'm sure she'll explain everything to you,"

"Like why I haven't spoken to her in over a month?"

She nodded and pulled me into the elevator. We stood there, silently, I was too pissed off to talk with her, and I think she was too embarrassed that I knew she had been hiding something from me. Lucky for the two of us, the ride was only about 3 ½ seconds long.

When we got onto the second floor, I headed strait for her room. I didn't wait for Ruthie, who was yelling after me.

**To be continued…**

Sorry, I didn't intend to make this chapter a cliffhanger… but I really needed to post it. So, MERRY CHRISTMAS!


	12. Chapter 11 A REAL CHAPTER

Yay for updating!

I am mucho sorry for not updating sooner, i've had the first page of this chapter written for a while, but just couldn't get it going. Also, there will probably only be two, maybe three, more chapters. And, I'll probably have a sequel in the works.

* * *

"_Just come on, as soon as she's awake, I'm sure she'll explain everything to you,"_

"_Like why I haven't spoken to her in over a month?"_

_She nodded and pulled me into the elevator. We stood there, silently, I was too pissed off to talk with her, and I think she was too embarrassed that I knew she had been hiding something from me. Lucky for the two of us, the ride was only about 3 ½ seconds long._

_When we got onto the second floor, I headed straight for her room. I didn't wait for Ruthie, who was yelling after me._

* * *

"Mom?" I said poking my head through the door.

"Savannah," she asked softly, "is that you?"

"Yeah, mom, it's me" I answered.

She looked so weak, so small. I didn't know what to say. I just stared. She didn't speak either. Just a few minutes after I walked in, she burst out into tears. Ruthie walked in right after she started crying. She looked as though she was going to cry too. And I would've cried too, but I didn't know what was going on. I stood there, between my mom and my aunt, two women hiding something from me, I didn't know if it was good or bad, even though Ruthie insisted that it wasn't anything bad, I couldn't believe her. If it wasn't bad, then why couldn't she tell me?

"Lucy, you need to tell her, she needs to know," Ruthie said softly

"I--" she started.

"It can't be that bad… If it was life threatening, someone would've told me…right…?" I asked.

"I'll make it through, Savannah…"

"You'll make it through what?"

"Savannah, a couple of months ago, right after you… left…"

"Left?! Are you kidding me! _You kicked me out!_"

"Savannah…" Ruthie said quietly.

"I'm sorry," I said shortly, "go on."

"I started getting sick in the morning, and I hadn't had my monthly visitor, so, naturally, I

assumed I was pregnant…"

"You're pregnant too?!" I said a little louder and more shocked than I meant to.

"No, I went to the doctor, and she told me I had ovarian cancer."

"You have cancer."

"No, she had it," Ruthie said, "They caught it extremely early, and well…"

"Well…?"

"I had a hysterectomy" she said, tears streaming down her face.

I couldn't believe it, she had a hysterectomy and no one bothered to tell me? Or even tell me that she had cancer. But one thing still puzzled me.

"If you had these life-alternating moments, why didn't you call me to tell me what's going on, I know you'd been talking to Ruthie about it, but you didn't considering just asking her to put me on the phone to say, 'Hi, Savannah, I know we're not really speaking right now, but I had a hysterectomy to get rid of cancer'?"

"Savannah, I understand you're upset right now, but I didn't want to put any more stress on you, than I already have caused."

"Wait, if it's all gone, then why are you still here when dad and Jenny went home?

Ruthie opened her mouth, but then, it was if she realized I was right. We really weren't told why she was still here. How can two people walk away virtually unharmed, but one wasn't?

"Well, when they brought us in, they realized that the cancer moved to my liver…"

"If it spread, can't you get that removed too?"

"Sav," Ruthie said softly, "it's not that simple. The liver is very important. They can't remove it, sometimes they can remove a portion of it, but this isn't the case."

"I'm a fighter, you know that honey, I'm not going to let this beat me, but I want you to know, whatever decision you make about the baby, I'll support you,"

"And dad?"

"Believe it or not, he's coming around. Jenny and Austin, we've explained--"

"I did that before I left," I interrupted, and was given a look of worry, "don't worry it was very… um… gentle."

Ruthie and I stood there, silently for a minute or two, me taking a seat next to the bed, until she spoke up.

"Why did Kevin sign himself and Jenny out? The nurse said it was against medical advice"

Mom was about to answer until someone else did it for her.

"I wanted Austin to know that we were all okay, considering," Dad said, appearing in the doorway.

"You could've let Jenny stay with Lucy though, so she wouldn't be lonely." She snapped.

"She's fine, I'm fine, we're all going to be fine," he said, then realized I was sitting down next to mom.

"What is she doing here?" he asked mom. Not looking at me.

Mom and Ruthie both opened their mouths to answer but I beat them to it.

"_She_ was invited by her mother. _She_ wanted to see her parents who _she _hasn't seen for months. _She_ wanted both of her parents to know that in October they'll have a granddaughter, whether they like or not." I said then left the room.

"You know Kevin, you are really an ass," I heard Ruthie say as I left.

"What?!"

"Your daughter is fifteen, pregnant, and scared shitless, not to mention she just found out her mother has cancer, and you're not helping. I know you're mad at her, and she knows it too, but just stop. Right now, she needs her father supporting every decision she makes, even if they're not always the ones you want her to make. You know she is considering adoption in hopes that it'll make you forgive her?"

"She's considering adoption?" mom asked.

"Yeah, not because she wants to, or because she thinks it's the best thing to do, but to please you. But so help me god, I will not let her give up that little girl just so you will accept her. I won't have it."

Ruthie walked out of the room, and also straight into me.

"God! Sav, you scared me," she said.

"Thanks," I said.

"For what?"

"Sticking up for me. You're the only one who has this entire time."

We left the hallway, the argument mom and dad having getting and more and more faint until we couldn't hear them at all.

I didn't want to be the cause of my parent's marriage becoming worse and worse, but it was all I did.

When we got back home, I called Tim, and asked him if he wanted to know what the sex of the baby was. He, of course, said, okay, but he didn't care as long as it's healthy, when I told him it was a girl, he sounded happy. I knew what was going through his head, he wanted it to be a boy, like every guy.

And, we both decided—or really I decided, he agreed—that after the baby was born that we would do a paternity test. Just to confirm what we both were 95 sure about.

I asked him what he would do if the baby wasn't his, at first he said he didn't know, and then said, maybe we could try dating, and I agreed.

**3 Weeks Later**

Mom's cancer seemed to get worse, and kept spreading, no matter what the doctors did. Finally, they told her that she probably only had a couple of months to live. She then decided that she was going to bring peace to me and dad, and that's exactly how we both ended up at the hospital at the same time, and she explained her plan.

"If I only have a few months to live, I want you two to be able to be civil to each other."

"Lucy, this is ridiculous, you're going to be fine."

"Kevin, we don't know that, right now, the only chances of me living are through a bone marrow transplant, and most likely a liver transplant. So you two have to put all of this behind you. Kevin, our granddaughter will be here in 4 months, and you've got to come to terms with that. I know you don't want our first grandchild to be put up for adoption, being raised by strangers."

"No--I don't."

I couldn't believe that that just came out of his mouth. He just admitted to wanting me to keep the baby.

"Savannah, we will both support you, it's your decision, but we want you to keep her, we will help you raise her. Okay?"

"Okay."

After this, my parents wanted me to come home, but, I knew I couldn't, not yet. Dad still needed to come to terms and accept the fact that his fifteen year old daughter was pregnant.

**1 month later**

Kaelyn Grace. That will be her name. Tim and I picked it out together. I wanted "Kaelyn" and he wanted "Grace" after his grandmother. And in two months she'll be here. After she's born, I'm going to move back in with my parents, not that Ruthie and Peter haven't been great, but it'll be the right time, and they've promised to help me raise her.

Now, all we have to do is wait.


End file.
